Vehicle Air Conditioning Systems

Mr. Greg Knight:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had, and with whom, on the draft regulations on emissions from air conditioning systems in motor vehicles; if he will ensure that changes to such regulations are not retrospective; and if he will make a statement. [51218]

Dr. Ladyman:
I refer the right hon. Member to my answer given today [UIN 51284].

14 Feb 2006 : Column 1885W

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Business Rates (Gloucestershire)

Steve Webb:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was paid in business rates in South Gloucestershire in each year since 199697; and how much was received by South Gloucestershire council from the central rate pool. [51854]

Mr. Woolas:
The amounts South Gloucestershire collected in business rates and the amounts they received back from the central pool from 199798 to 200405 are tabled as follows. Unfortunately this information is not readily available for 199697.

National non-domestic business rates (NNDR), South Gloucestershire

£

Collected by the authority

Received from the NNDR pool

199798

44,601,072

52,753,236

199899

59,678,585

55,416,657

19992000

68,084,810

60,929,163

200001

72,094,171

69,397,236

200102

83,185,520

68,767,124

200203

82,160,313

76,277,087

200304

75,608,660

74,517,052

200405

84,023,245

68,795,989

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Mr. Crabb:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to enable low-income households to purchase carbon monoxide alarms. [51451]

Jim Fitzpatrick:
The Home Fire Risk Check Initiative established in October 2004, enables all English fire and rescue services to work up a dedicated programme of home fire risk checks combined with the installation of free 10-year battery operated smoke alarms in vulnerable homes. The funding may be used to install other protective devices such as specialist deaf smoke alarms, community link fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

Carbon monoxide detectors are a useful back-up precaution, but they must not be regarded as a substitute for proper installation and maintenance of

14 Feb 2006 : Column 1886W

gas equipment. All householders are encouraged to install at least one smoke alarm and regularly maintain existing devices.

Mr. Crabb:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the percentage of households equipped with (a) carbon monoxide alarms and (b) fire alarms. [51450]

Jim Fitzpatrick:
Information on the percentage of households equipped with carbon monoxide detectors is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Latest figures released on 31 January 2006, show that an estimated 80 per cent. of households in England are equipped with at least one working smoke alarm.

Departmental Information

Mr. Gale:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was spent on his Department's public relations and information services in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [48954]

Jim Fitzpatrick:
The Office of the Deputy Prime minister was created on 29 May 2002 The spend on public relations and information services is tabled as follows:

Public relations

Information services

200203

247,000

30,000

200304

99,000

30,000

200405

160,000

55,000

200506

112,000

41,000

The majority of this spend has been through the Central Office of Information to help promote fire safety in the home.

Firefighters

Keith Vaz:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many firefighters have been employed in (a) Leicester and (b) England in each year between 1997 and 2005. [51502]

Jim Fitzpatrick:
The number of firefighters that have been employed in Leicester is not held centrally. However, the number of firefighters employed in Leicestershire fire and rescue service and England in each year between 1997 and 2005 is tabled as follows:

Leicestershire

England

Wholetime firefighter

Retained duty system firefighter

Total

Wholetime firefighter

Retained duty system firefighter

Total

1997

484

228

712

32,033

13,016

45,049

1998

486

235

721

31,855

12,847

44,702

1999

488

222

710

31,918

13,022

44,940

2000

495

223

718

31,616

13,021

44,637

2001

494

236

730

31,597

13,097

44,694

2002

476

225

701

31,592

13,013

44,605

2003

478

218

696

31,614

13,044

44,658

2004

476

218

694

31,856

13,015

44,871

2005(14)

474

212

686

31,037

13,520

44,557

(14) Figures for 2005 are provisional
The figures provided are a snapshot at 31 March each year
Source:
ODPM annual Returns

14 Feb 2006 : Column 1887W

Keith Vaz:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many firefighters in (a) Leicester and (b) England retired on the grounds of ill-health in each of the last five years. [51501]

14 Feb 2006 : Column 1888W

Jim Fitzpatrick:
The number of firefighters retiring on the grounds of ill-health in Leicester is not held centrally. However, the number of firefighters that retired on the grounds of ill-health in the Leicestershire fire and rescue service and England in each year is tabled as follows:

Leicestershire

England(15)

Wholetime firefighter

Retained duty system firefighter

Total

Wholetime firefighter

Retained duty system firefighter

Total

19992000

4

0

4

557

68

625

200001

3

1

4

578

69

647

200102

6

0

6

570

60

630

200203

8

1

9

545

42

587

200304

2

0

2

485

46

531

(15) 200001 figures for West Sussex are not available
Source:
ODPM annual returns

Leisure Facilities

Keith Vaz:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the provision of leisure facilities by local authorities in (a) Leicester and (b) England. [50446]

Mr. Caborn:
I have been asked to reply.

Specific information on the delivery of leisure services by local authorities is not centrally collated. However, information from the Leisure Data Base Company suggests that some 60 per cent. of public leisure facilities in England are managed in-house, 22 per cent. are provided through trusts and 18 per cent. by private contractors.

The Audit Commission is currently undertaking a study into the different types of management arrangements available to local authorities for running their leisure services and how they approach the task of choosing the option best suited to local needs. This is expected to include a consideration of the potential implications of each of the options available.

I will ensure a copy of the study is placed in the House Libraries once it is published.

University Students (Council Tax)

Mr. McGovern:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what estimate he has made of the effect on revenue in each of the last three years of allowing students an exemption from council tax; [51667]

(2) what estimate he has made of the number of university students who lived in households that were not their family home and who paid council tax in 200405. [51666]

Mr. Woolas:
The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Vandalism

David T.C. Davies:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the acts of vandalism which have been perpetrated (a) inside and (b) on the outside of his Office's buildings in the last 12 months. [49496]

Jim Fitzpatrick:
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has had no recorded incidents of vandalism in the last 12 months.

This answer does not include buildings occupied by Government offices, who carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.